Wrapping-machine.



T. A- HICKS & I L. GRIFFITH.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

' APPLICATH)" FILED JAN 18, 1915. 1 ,2 L258 Patented Nov. 12, 1918;.

INVENTOR mi 771omas A.Dic/(s.

Blgraei L. Griff/7h.

T- A, DICKS 8L I. L. GRIFFITH.

WRAPPING MACHINE.

. APPLICATION FILED JAN. 18. 915. 1,28%,258. Patented Nov. 12, 1918 3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

iinirnn s rarns PATENT onnicn.

THOMAS A. DICKS, OF WILKINSBURG, AND ISRAEL L. GRIFFITH, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC AND MANUFACTUR- ING COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA.

WRAPPING-MACHINE.

amazes.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918'.

Application filed January 18, 1915. Serial N 0. 2,814.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, THOMAS A. DICKS, a subject of the King of Great Britain, and a resident of WVilkinsburg, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsylvanimand ISRAEL L. GRIFFITH, a citizen of the United States and a resident of Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Pennsyl- Vania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Wrapping-Machines, of which the following is a specification.

Our invention relates to apparatus for applying Wrappings or coverings of sheet material to rods orbars, and it has special reference to apparatus which is adapted to apply insulating Wrappings to the coil bars of J dynamo-electric machines and other forms of electric apparatus.

The object of our.invention is to provide a machine of the above-indicated character which shall be comparatively simple in construction and automatic in its operation, to the end that uniform and satisfactory wrappings of improved quality may be applied to rods and bars with a minimum expenditure of manual labor and attention on the part of the operator.

Of the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a machine constructed in accordance with our invention. Fig. 2 is a transverse view of the machine, partially in elevation and partially in section, the section being taken substantially along the line II--II of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is an end elevationalview of the machine as seen from the right of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is a side elevational View of a pressure bar which forms a part of the machine. Fig. 5 is an end elevational view of the pressure bar shown in Fig. 4. Fig. 6 is an enlarged transverse sectional view of the pressure bar, the section being taken substantially along the line VI-VI of Fig. 4, showingthe manner in which an electric terminal is applied to the bar. Fig. 7 is a transverse View, partially in elevation and partially in section, showing the central frame or head of the machine and the mechanism associated therewith, the

section being taken substantially along the line VIl--VII of Fig. 1, Fi Bis a side e1evational View of a pressure-releasing cam which forms a part of the machines Fig. .9 is a side elevational view of another cam which also forms a part of the machine, and Fig. 10 is a transverse sectional view taken along the line X-X of Fig. 9.

The coil bars of dynamoelectric machines, especially those which are of large size, are

commonly provided with insulating wrap-- pings by winding around them several turns of msulatmg sheet material, such as the comg which the wrapped bar was subjected to the wiping action of a pair of fiat-headed plates which engaged the bar along two separate lines and rotated around it, thus tightening the Wrapper upon the bar. The fusible insulating material was then heated to partial fusion, and the wrapper was then ironed i no a solid layer. The wrappers produced by the above-noted process were not uniform on all sides of the bar, and different sections of the bar were not uniformly wrapped. If, as frequently happened, the wrapper was left loose or bulging at some particular point,-

the bulge was squeezed into a ridge or fin When'the bar was subsequently pressed.

According to our present invention, we avoid the foregoing disadvantages by applying the wrapper to the bar in its final tightly-wound form, thus obviating the necessity for any subsequent ironing or squeez ing operation. During the winding, the

bar is given a continuous Wiping treatment by means of a series of spring-pressed rounded and unlformly heated bars which exert constant pressure and tension upon the wrapping material as it is applied in successive layers. The machine shown in the accompanyingdrawing is provided with means for electrically heating the pressure bars'and with means for simultaneously releasing the pressure of all of the pressure .between their ends, is a frame or head (3, shown in Figs. 1 and 7 and two similar frames or heads 7 and 8 are slidably mounted upon the I-beams 3 and 4 upon opposite sides of the frames 7 and 8, as seen in Fig. 1, plates 9 being bolted beneath each of the frames or heads 7 and 8 and forming ways which prevent lateral movement of the heads with respect to the I-beams 3 and 4 but permit them to be adjusted lengthwise of the I- beams.

Power for. operating the machines is de-- rived from a suitable prime mover, which may be a motor 10,,Ithe armature shaft of which is provided with a pinion 11 meshing with a gear wheel 12 on a shaft 13 to which is secured a pulley 14. A belt 15 passes around the pulley 14 and around another pulley 16 that is secured to one end of a transverse horizontal shaft 17 mounted in bearings in a casing 18 that is bolted to the I-beams 3, 4 and 5. A handwheel 19 is secured to the end-of the shaft 17 opposite to the pulley 16. The shaft 17 carries two worm pinions 20 and 21, Fig. 3, to mesh with worm wheels 22- and 23 that are secured, respectively, to splined shafts 24 and 25 which extend the full length of the ma chine and are mounted in bearings 26 secured upon the I-beams that extend between'the ends of the beams 3 and 4. Each of the shafts 24 and 25 carries a series of three similar gear wheels 27 and 28, Fig. 2, which are respectively associated with each of the heads 6, 7 and 8.

Each of the heads (3, 7 and 8 is provided with a larger circular aperture 30, the inner periphery of which is provided with ways in which is rotatably mounted a casing 31, the outer edge of which forms a nearly complete circle provided with gear teeth that are adapted to engage the teeth of one of a the pairs of driving gear wheels 27 and 28,

as indicated in Fig. 2. It will be evident that the driving shaft 17 will cause the shafts 24 and 25 to rotate in the same direction and thereby, through the pairs of gear wheels 27 and 28, to rotate the three casings 31 within the heads 6, 7 and S. An opening is provided at one side of each of the casings 31 in order to provide access to the interior of the heads, and it will be observed that the chord joining the opposite edges of each of these openings is shorter than thedistance between the meshing points of the gear wheels 27 and 28, and that, therefore, at least one of the gear wheels 27 and 28 is always ih engagement with the gear teeth on the periphery of each casing 31 as the casing rotates. The casing 31 associated with the frame or head 6 contains cam devices for releasing the pressure of the work-engagingv members of our machine, and also carries electrical devices for heating the work-engaging members, while each of the casings 31 associated With the heads or frames 7 and 8 contains spring devices that tend to force the work-engaging members into close engagement with the work.

Each of the casings 31 is provided with various transverse openings to receive various parts of the winding device, which will now be described Extending longitudinally of the machine, are a series of splined rods 35, 36, 37 and 38 which are keyed to collars 39, 40, 41 and 42, respectively, that are rotatably secured in bearings formed in the plates 31, as best shown in Fig. 2. To each of the rods 35, 36, 37 and 38 are feathered a series of four pressure-baisupports or arms 45 to the outer ends of which a series of pressure bars 46 are bolted, in the manner shown in Figs. 2 and 3. The arms 45 and the pressure bars 46 are disposed in such manner that the pivots about which they are adapted to swing, namely, the rods 35, 3G, 37 and 38, are all grouped together and occupy an arc of only about 90 around their center of rotation. At the same time, the pressure bars 46 are adapted to exert pressure toward this common center from four directions symmetrically disposed 90 apart. If desired, the pivot rods 35, 36, 37 and 38 may be symmetrically spaced around their center of rotation, but we prefer, at present, the arrangement shown, on account of the greater space that it-gives for positioning and removing the bars to be wrapped.

Figs. 1, 2 and 3 show a coil bar 50in engagement with the'set of four pressure bars 46. In order to support the coil bar in a rigid stationary position, while the pressure bars rotate in engagement with it, supports 51 and are provided. These supports are mounted upon standards 53 and 54 that are slidably bolted to the I-beams 3 and 4. Each of the standards and 54 carries a vertical.

bolt 55 by means of which a plate composed of separable sections 56 and 57 is adj ustably secured to the standards 53 and 54. A socket having curved inner sides is formed in the separable sections 56 and 57. and this opening is adapted to receive a ball that is formed on the end of a sleeve 58, within which is received a screw threaded shank 59 that carries, at its upper end, a swiveled clamp 60 adapted to engage and hold the coil bar 50. The shank 59 is preferably provided with square screw threads which are engaged by an adjusting nut 61 and a lock '-nut nut'62. The structure just described provides a clamp having anniversal movement as well as a bodily adjustment lengthwise of the machine, and, by this means, bars of a wide variety of shapes and sizes may be supported in, operative relation to thepressurebars 46.

In, order to force the pressure bars 46 series of spring devices are provided, the structure 'and' arrangement of which are shown in Fig. 2. Each of the spring devices consists of a hollow cylindrical casing into which is screwed a closed tubular member '66 provided with a central opening through which extends a plunger 67 provided with a head 68. .A compression spring 69 is confined between the head 68 and the end 'of the tubular member 66, the degree of compression of the spring by the distance to which the tubular member 66 is screwed into the casing 65. A lock 70 maintains the members 65 and 66 in their adjusted positions. Two of the spring devices have their members 65 rigidly secured to the casing 31, while the outer ends of their movable plungers 67 are provided with collars 67 that loosely surround pins 71' and 72 which are respectively held between pairs of lever projections 73 and 74 that are formed upon the collars 39 and 42 which are keyed to the shafts 35 and 38. A third spring device is associated ,with both of the shafts 36 and 37, its casing 65 being secured, at 75, to alever projection of the collar 41 that surrounds the shaft 37, while its plunger 67 is, provided, like the plungers 67 mentioned above, with a collar 67 surrounding a pin 76, which is held between a pair of lever projections 77 formed on the collar 40 that surrounds the shaft 36; nder the influence of the three spring devices just described, which tend to draw the plungers into the casing members, the shafts ,35, and 37-Will normally tend to rotate in a clockwise direction, while the shafts 36 and 38 will tend to rotate in a coLmter-clockwise ,direction', and the arrangement of the' 3 as pressure members 46, with respect to their supporting shafts, is such that these rotary movements imparted to the shafts by their respective springs cause the pressure members to press against the bar 50. As the pressure nembersrevolw around the bar 50, they are. permitted, by the yielding springs, to vary their linear distance from the center of the bar in order to continuously engage the periphery of the bar with a 'yieldingly and tightly against the bar 50, a

being regulated substantially constant pressure. The spring devices are provided within each of the heads 7 and 8 but not in the head 6.

The head 6 contains means for causing the pressure bars to be simultaneously with-.

drawn from the bar that is being wrapped and held in'their retracted positions to permit the bar to be removed and replaced by another bar. As shown in Figs. 7 to 10, inclusive, such means comprises a pair of cam .rings 80 and 81 that are adapted to slide in the cam ring 80, and two spaced cam surfaces 85 and 86 are formed in the cam ring 81, the relative arrangement of the cam surfaces on the two cam rings being such that when the cam rings are placed slde by side, with their toothed portions 82 adjacent to each other, the cam surfaces will occupy staggered positions with relation to each other. Depending from collars 87 and 88, which arev keyed to the shafts 35 and 37, respectively, are levers 89 and 90 that are adapted to be engaged by the cam surfaces 83 and 84 on the cam ring 80 when the cam ring is caused to rotate with the casing 31 in a counter-cloclnvise direction. Similar 1evers 91 and 92 depend from collars 93 and 94 which are keyed to the shafts 36 and 38, respectively, and these levers project into the path of the cam surfaces 85 and 86, respectively, on the cam ring 81 and are adapted to rotate the shafts 36 and 38 in a clockwise direction when the cam ring 81 is caused to rotate in a clockwise direction. (see Fig. 7). When the levers 89, 90, 91 and 92 are moved, in,tl1c directions just described, to rock the shafts 35, 36, 37 and 38, the arms 45. currying the pressure bars 46, are rotated away from the bar 50 and are held in their retracted position until the cam faces 83 to 86, iIlOlUSlVGilI'B withdrawn from cooperation with the levers 89 to 92, inclusive.

neously actuate the levers 89 to 92, I provide a pair of pinions 95 and 96 which mesh with each other and which severally mesh with the gear teeth 82 on the cam rings 80 and 81. The shaft ofthe pinion 95 is provided with a square head 97 to which a wrench may be applied for turning the cam rings. The pinion 95, which meshes with the teeth on the cam ring 80, should be turned in a counter-clockwise direction to cause thecam ring 80 to likewise rotate in a counter-clockwise direction, while the pinion 96-, which is driven by the pinion 95, will be rotated in a clockwise direction and will cause the cam ring 81, with which it meshes, to likewise rotate in a clockwise direction.

As shown in Figs. 4, 5 and 6, each of the -pressure bars 46 is composed of a T-shaped body member 100, to which is attached, by means of screws, 21 semi-cylindrical working member 101. Each of the bars 46 may extend the full length of the bars to be wrapped, or, as shown in Fig. 4, it may be made in two or more alined sections, which, on account of the adjustability of the supporting members 45 along the shafts 35 to 38, inclusive, may be spaced apart to a greater or less extent. If bars composed of spaced sections are employed, I prefer to so dispose the spaces between the sections that the spaces in the successive bars will occupy different positions lengthwise of the machine, so' that every portion of the bar being wrapped is acted upon by the pressure-members. The ends of the pressure bars are preferably rounded as shown at 101 in Fig.

. 4 in order to prevent tearing of the wrapping material which may occur if the ends are sharply cut ofi'.

The pressure members may be heated in any convenient manner, but I prefer to heat them, as shown by electric means.

Such means may comprise sheets of insulated resistance material 102 held between the cotiperating portions 100 and 101 of the bars 46 and supplied with current by means of conductors 103 attached to the ends of the bars 46 by means Gf binding posts 104. In the sectional pressure bar shown in Fig. 4, the electric resistance elements in the sections composing the bar are connected by a conductor 105 and binding posts 106. a

The conductors 103 for furnishing currentto the bars, are all brought to the center of the machine and connect ed to slip rings 107 and 108 which are associated with the head 6, as shown in 1 and 7. Current is supplied to the slip rings by means of a set of fo'ur brushes, of which two of the same'polarity, designated bv the numerals 109 and 110, cooperate with the slip ring,

107 while two "similar brushes of the opposite polarity, one of which is shown at 111 in Fig. 1, cotiperate with thd slip ring 108. It is necessary to provide two brushes cooperating with each of the slip rings bccause the slip rings are discontinuous. as shown 1n Fig. 7, and the pairs of brushes are accordingly spaced apart a distance 4 greater thanthe distance between the ends 0f eaoh slip ring in order that, current may be. continuously supplied to the slip rings. Flg. 7 shows a l ne conductor 112 supplying current to the brushes 109 and 110. The

other line conductor which supplies current to the brushes that cooperate with the slip ring 108 is not shown. In order'to press the brushes constantly against the slip rings,

but which may, if desired, be extended.

downward to completely inclose the electrical apparatus.

In order to supply sheet material that is to be Wound upon the bar 50, I provide a sleeve 120 which is fastened in semi-circular transverse openings in the three rotating casings 31 and in which is disposed a roll holder 121 that is provided with an outwardly extendingjlip 122. as shown in Figs. 1

2 and 3. and is adapted to contain a roll of sheet material 123. If desired, a tube 123 may be inserted in the roll 123 to insure. that the sheet material shall be unrolled evenly. It will be observed that the roll holder rotates around the bar being wrapped, along with the pressure bars, and

supplies sheet material at the necessary rate, the sheet materlal being drawn from the roll holder by the turning movement of the pressure bars around the bar 50.

In operating our machine to apply wrappings to coil bars and similar objects, the pressure members are first separated by applying a wrench to the square head 97 and turning the pinions 95 and 96 so as to operate the levers 89 to 92 and to thereby rock the shafts 35 to 38. The bar is then placed in an approximately central position with respect to the pressure bars, and the square head 97 is turned in the reverse direction to allow the pressure bars to come into engagemcnt with the bar to be wrapped. The.

clamping-devices 51 and 52 are then attached to the bar 50 and secured tightly in place. Current is then applied to the slip rings, and the edge of the sheet material contained in the roll holder 131 is inserted between the bar 50 and one of the pressure bars, the pressure bars being slightly released for this purpose, if necessary. The :;motor being then started. the pressure bars the successive layers of sheet material into a homogeneous and compact coating. After sufficient sheet material has been applied to the bar 50, the sheet'may be severed and the ironingoperation continued for some minutes, if desired, in order to insure that the coating is properly compacted.

This continued ironing not only serves to compact the layers of sheet material Wound about the coil bar but actually draws the several layers of the sheet over each other about the barto tighten the windings of the sheet so that, after the ironing, the bar covering is several layers thicker than before. This is due.to the fact that the pressure members have a wiping engagement nith the material wound about the bar so that thefriction between the pressure members and material acts to draw the material along Obviously, this would not be thecase if pressure rollers were employed.

It has been found, through actual experience with machines having but two oppositely disposed pressure bars, such as those shown in the Haefely Patent 1,090,394, that, while good results may be secured with relatively short coils, it is difiicult to secure equivalent results with long coils for the following reasons.

With a long coil, there is a tendency to sag in the middle portion and this causes the pressure members to engage the wraping material with a firmer pressure on the bottom of the coil than on the top thereof, thus securing uneven distribution and ap plication of the insulating material. This action may be effectually prevented by providing a machine with as many ironing members as there are faces to the coil, whereby there is always a rubbing member under the coil, serving to maintain it in horizontal alinement.

Furthermore, with long coils, particularly thoseof relatively thin cross section,

' there is a pronounced twisting action with a two-element machine if sufiicient pressure a is applied to the ironing members to adequately compress the insulating material, this pressure being relatively high because of the fact that the material must be drawn and retained. over half the circumference of the coil, The twisting action causes the center of the coil to be displaced in the direction of rotation of the ironing members and. the ironing members are in close engagement with each face of the coil for a greater portion of the time during a given revolution than isv the case at the ends of the coil. This results in a much more thor ough compacting of the material at the centen. of 'the coil than at the ends thereof, wastes ltant undesirable insulating qualities at the ends p By the use of a four-element machine or,

generically speaking, by the use of a machine having a ironing gnembers for the application of a wrapping material to a it is possible to quickly and readily adapt a machine for operation upon coil bars of different sizes, one or more sections being removed or added when shorter or longer coil bars are to be Wrapped. On the other hand, if the work-engaging portions of the pressure members were formed each in a single piece, this would be impossible and a different set of pressure members would be required for each size of coil bar to be wrapped;

The machine herein shown may be variously modified without sacrificing its ad vantages or departing from the scope of our invention. It is therefore to be understood that our invention comprehends all such modifications and structural changes as fall within the scope of the appended claims.

We claim as our invention: 1 A wrapping machine comprising means for supporting an elongate objectof quadri- 3- lateral cross section to be wrapped, four pivoted pressure members symmetrically disposed around the said object and adapted to exert pressure upon substantially the full length thereof, and means for causing relative rotatory movement between the saidobject and the said pressure members.

2. A wrapping machine comprising means for supporting an enlongate object to be:

wrapped, four pivoted pressure members disposed around the said object and adapted to exert pressure u on substantially the full length thereof, an means for causing relative rotatory movement between the said'object and the said pressure members, the

pivots for the said pressure members being grouped together at one side of the said pressure members.

3. A wrappnigmachine comprising means for supporting an elongate object to be Wrapped, four pivoted pressure members disposed around the said object and adapted to exert pressure upon substantially the full length there .f, and means for causing relative rotatory movement between the said object and the said pressure members, the pivots for the said pressure members being grouped together at one side of the said ressure members and together occupying about 90% of a circle circumscribed around the said object.

4. A wrapping machine comprising means for supporting an elongate object of quadrilateral cross section to be wrapped, four spring-pressed pressure members disposed around the said object and adapted to exert sliding pressure upon substantially the full length thereof, and means for causing relative rotatory movement between the said object and the said pressure members.

5. A wrapping machine comprising means for supporting an elongate object of quadrilateral cross section to be wrapped, four spring-pressed pressure members disposed around the said object and severally adapted to exert pressure upon substantially the full length thereof, and means for causing relative rotatory movement between the said object and the said pressure members.

6. A wrapping machine comprising means for supporting an elongate object to be wrapped, said .object being of polygonal' cross-section and havin n faces, 72

pivoted pressure mem ers symmetrically disposed around the said object and adapted to exert pressure upon substantially the full length thereof, and means for causing relative rotatory movement between the said object and the said pressure members.

7. A wrapping machine comprising means for supporting an elongate object of quadrilateral cross section to be wrapped, four spring-pressed pressure members symmetrically disposed around the said object and adapted to exert slidin pressureupon substantially the full length thereof, and means for causing relative rotator movement between the said object and the said pressure members.

8. A wrapping machine comprising a pressure,- ap lying bar provided with a rounded wor -engaging face and means for electrically supplying heat to the said workengaging face.

9. A wrapping 'machine comprising a pressure-applying bar composed of a supporting member, a working member provided with a rounded work-engaging face, an electrical heating element disposed between the said supporting member and the said working member, and means for securing the said parts together.

10. A wrapping machine comprising a plurality of pressure-applying devices adapted to engage an object to be wrapped; spr'= ngactuated means for pressing the said devices toward the said object, and cam-operated means for withdrawing the said devices against the tension of the said spring-actuated means;

11. -A wrapping machine comprising means for supporting an object to be wrapped, a plurality of pressure devices adapted to exert pressure upon the said obJect and pivotally mounted upon a series of rocking shafts,

spring-actuated means for rocking the said shafts to press the said devices toward the said object, and cam-operated means for rocking the said shafts in the opposite direction against the tension of the said spring-. actuated means.

12. A wrapping machine comprising means for supporting an object to be wrapped, a plurality of rocking shafts adapted .to support pressure devices forfexerting pressure upon the said object, spring-actuated means for rocking the said shafts to press the said pressure devices toward the said object, levers rigidly associated with the said shafts, two cam members each of which is provided with cam faces adapted to engage certain of the said levers, and means for moving the said cam members in opposite directions simultaneously and for equal distances, whereby the said levers are caused to rock the said shafts against the tension of the said spring-actuated devices;

13. Awrappingmachine comprisingmeans i for supporting an object to be wrapped, a plurality of rocking shafts adapted to support pressure devices for exerting pressure upon the said object, rotatable means for supporting the said rocking shafts, springactuated means for rocking the said shafts to press the said pressure devices toward th said object, levers rigidly associated with the with the said rotatable shaft-supporting means, each of th said cam rings being provided with cum faces adapted to engage certain of the said levers, and cooperating gearing for moving the said cam rin s in opposite directions simultaneously an for equal distances, whereby the said levers are caused to rock the said shafts against the tension of the saidspring-actuated devices.

14. A work-holding support for wrapping machines and the like comprising a swivele clamp mounted upon a support provided with a ball-and-socket joint, whereby the said clamp may be rotated in anv direction,

and means for securing the said c amp in adjusted position upon the said su port.

15. A work-holding support f machines and the like comprising a standar a member pivotally secured to the said or wrappid standard and embodying a circular socket, a

sleeve provided with a ball adapted to be received in the said socket, a screw-threaded shank adapted to be received in; the said I sleeve and provided with a swiveled workholding clamp, and a nut surroundin the said shank for varying its position within the said sleeve.

16. A wrapping machine comprisingmeans 95 said shafts, twocam rings adapted to rotate I port for an elongate object rectangular in cross section which is to be wrapped, a group 1 of pressure members yieldablyheld in nonrotating sliding engagement, one with each face of the object, and means for causing relative rotation between the group of pressure members and the object.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto 15 subscribed our names this 9th day of J an.,

THOMAS A. DICKS. ISRAEL L. GRIFFITH. Witnesses:

. B. B. HINns, L. C. MCLURE. 

